Portal
Facts
- HQ
- Bothell, Washington, USA
- Sectors
- Aerospace, Spacecraft, Satellite Manufacturing
- Stage
- Startup
Portal Space Systems to Launch Starburst-1 in October; Developing 1,100‑lb Supernova with Solar Thermal Propulsion
Portal Space Systems is preparing to ship its first Starburst-1 satellite to Florida for an October launch on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-5 rideshare while advancing plans for a larger, 1,100-pound Supernova spacecraft that will use solar thermal propulsion for greater orbital maneuverability.
Portal Space Systems and Paladin Space Launch Debris Removal Service to Tackle Orbital Junk Starting 2024
Portal Space Systems and Paladin Space are partnering to offer Debris Removal as a Service (DRAAS), using Portal’s maneuverable spacecraft and Paladin’s Triton payload to track and remove small-to-medium sized orbital debris. Starburst-1 is set to launch this year, with the larger Supernova platform debuting in 2027, aiming to reduce space junk threats for satellite operators.
Uncommon Thinkers 2025: Solar spacecraft, sci-fi biology, destroying PFAS, beyond AI chatbots, and better social media
On this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast, recorded backstage at the GeekWire Gala at the Showbox Sodo, we sit down with five of the inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs selected as the Seattle region's 2025 Uncommon Thinkers, in partnership with Greater Seattle Partners. Jeff Thornburg spent years building rocket engines for Elon Musk at SpaceX and Paul Allen at Stratolaunch. Now, as CEO of Portal Space Systems, he's moved past chemical rockets to revive a concept NASA studied decades ago but never pursued — a spacecraft powered by focused sunlight. He calls it a "steam engine for space." Read the…
